Don Imus

Don Imus is the popular veteran radio and talk show host of Imus in the Morning, which was previously "syndicated to 70 stations around the country by CBS"  and simulcast Monday through Friday on MSNBC.

On April 11, 2007, MSNBC dropped its simulcast of the radio program, "responding to growing outrage about the radio host's racial slur against the Rutgers women's basketball team." Imus' comments were "widely denounced by civil rights and women's groups." 

"MSNBC's action came after a growing list of sponsors - including American Express Co., Sprint Nextel Corp., Staples Inc., Procter & Gamble Co., and General Motors Corp. - said they were pulling ads from Imus' show for the indefinite future.

"NBC News President Steve Capus said he made the decision after reading thousands of e-mails and having countless discussions with NBC workers and the public, but he denied the potential loss of advertising dollars had anything to do with it." 

Only two days earlier, on April 9, 2007, NBC and CBS suspended the Imus in the Morning show for two weeks, beginning on Monday, April 16, for Imus' demeaning remarks on April 4, calling the Rutgers women's basketball team, among other things, 'That's some nappy-headed hos there, I'm going to tell you that.'"

MSNBC's "decision does not affect Imus' nationally syndicated radio show, and the ultimate decision on the fate of that program will rest with executives at CBS Corp. In a statement, CBS reiterated that Imus will be suspended without pay for two weeks beginning on Monday, and that CBS Radio 'will continue to speak with all concerned parties and monitor the situation closely.'"

Imus returned to the air in December 2007 after signing a new deal with ABC Radio Networks. New York's WABC is his new flagship station. The show is simulcast on RFD-TV.

Website

 * Web page: Imus in the Morning at ABC Radio Networks.
 * Website: ImusRanchFoods.com.

Related SourceWatch Resources

 * Glenn Beck
 * Neal Boortz
 * Nancy Grace
 * Sean Hannity
 * Bill O'Reilly
 * Michael Savage
 * Howard Stern
 * Rush Limbaugh

Profiles

 * Profile: Don Imus, MSNBC (Updated December 13, 2003).
 * Profile: Don Imus, Radio Hall of Fame.
 * Profile: Don Imus, NNDB.com.
 * Profile: Don Imus, IMDb.com.
 * Don Imus and Imus in the Morning in the Wikipedia.
 * "FACTBOX: Don Imus, veteran broadcaster," Reuters, April 9, 2007.

Articles & Commentary

 * Imus in the Morning Archive, Crooks and Liars.
 * Selections from the New York Times Archive: Don Imus.
 * Jim VandeHei, "Cheney Warns of Iran As a Nuclear Threat. Vice President: 'We Don't Want a War'," Washington Post, January 21, 2005.
 * "Imus Executive Producer: Carroll is 'The Kind of Woman Who Would Wear One of Those Suicide Vests, Sneak Into the Green Zone'," Think Progress, March 30, 2006.
 * "Imus to Gov. Richardson: 'Besa mi culo'," Media Matters for America, February 1, 2007.
 * "Governor Bill Richardson Cancels Appearance On Imus," The Imus Show Blog (cache file), February 1, 2007.
 * "Imus touted Giuliani as willing to 'drop [a nuclear weapon] on Mecca'," Media Matters for America, February 7, 2007.
 * Faiz Shakir, "Don Imus Reports Administration Won’t Allow Him To Tour Entire Walter Reed Facilities," Think Progress, February 22, 2007.
 * "Imus Calls For Court-Martial Of General Kiley," The Imus Show Blog (cache file), February 22, 2007.
 * Noel Sheppard, "Don Imus Slams Sen. Schumer Over Walter Reed Hypocrisy," NewsBusters, March 10, 2007.
 * Mitch Marconi, "Don Imus vs. Dick Cheney, John McCain vs. CNN's Michael Ware," The Post Chronicle, April 2, 2007.
 * "Don Imus Apologizes For Racist Remarks. Radio Host Had Called Rutgers Women's Basketball Team 'Nappy-Headed Hos'," CBS News ShowBuzz, April 6, 2007.
 * Brendan Prunty, Imus' racist remarks infuriate Rutgers; Host slurred women's hoops squad on-air, The Star-Ledger, April 07, 2007
 * Larry McShane, "Imus Under Fire After On-Air Racial Slur," Associated Press (San Francisco Chronicle), April 7, 2007.
 * Matea Gold, "Don Imus apologizes, calls Rutgers remark 'stupid'. The radio shock jock drew fire for his characterization of the women's basketball team," Los Angeles Times, April 7, 2007.
 * "Critics Call for Don Imus to Resign After Racial Comments," Associated Press (Fox News), April 7, 2007.
 * Bob Raissman, "CBS' call on Don hinges on dollars not sense," New York Daily News, April 8, 2007.
 * Transcript: "Don Imus on Al Sharpton’s Radio Show," New York Times, April 9, 2007.
 * Andrew Fies, "NBC, CBS Suspend Imus' Show for Two Weeks," ABC News, April 9, 2007.
 * Matthew Balan, "Don Imus. CNN Slams MSNBC Over Imus Controversy," NewsBusters, April 9, 2007.
 * Matea Gold, "Imus suspended by CBS Radio, MSNBC. The shock jock will be taken off the air for two weeks as calls mount for his firing," Los Angeles Times, April 10, 2007.
 * "Rutgers Women's Basketball Team to Address Don Imus' Remarks," Associated Press (Fox News), April 10, 2007.
 * Eugene Robinson, "Misogyny in the Morning," Washington Post, April 10, 2007.
 * Elmer Smith, "Imus is a stone-cold racist - & don't you forget it!" Philadelphia Daily News, April 10, 2007.
 * David Crary, "CBS Director Hopes Imus Will Be Fired," Associated Press (Forbes), April 11, 2007.
 * "MSNBC Drops Don Imus Simulcast," Associated Press (MSNBC), April 12, 2007.
 * Jacques Steinberg, "This Time, the Shock Jock’s Sidekick Couldn’t Shield the Boss," New York Times, April 12, 2007.
 * "It's not just Imus," Media Matters for America, April 12, 2007.
 * "MSNBC to replace Imuswith conservative radio host (and regular substitute for Bill O’Reilly and Joe Scarborough) Michael Smerconish," Think Progress, April 20, 2007. re Michael Smerconish
 * "CBS and Imus Settle Differences Over His Firing", New York Times, August 15, 2007.
 * "Citadel's ABC Radio bets on Imus ratings gold", Reuters, November 3, 2007.
 * "Rural Channel Will Carry Imus Show", New York Times, November 14, 2007.
 * "Imus Is Back, Chastened but Still Proudly Obnoxious", New York Times, December 4, 2007.